Fiberglass Pool Popularity And Repairs
By Sherry Cochran

Fiberglass pools are a popular choice for many owners because installation time is quicker than some other styles. Fiberglass pools are factory made and installed in one piece. Fiberglass pools aren t the biggest sellers in the market, Miller says, but they are becoming more popular as more models become available and homeowners learn about the long-term values of a fiberglass pool. Fiberglass pools come in all shapes and sizes, though. Fiberglass pools feature a durable, satin-smooth, stain-resistant finish. Fiberglass pools can also be incorporated with optic lightings, in- floor sanitation systems and tile patterns.

In ground, Above Ground &amp Fiberglass Pools With many kinds of pools available, how do you decide which one is right for you? Fiberglass pools have been around since the 1950s. Mary s Norco Fiberglass Pools We believes owning a pool should add pleasure to your life, not work. Leisure Pools are stunning fiberglass pools with beautiful color finishes. Patios Porches &amp Pools Fiber glass pools can be installed quickly, maintained for less. In fact, the “easy as one, two, three” installation is a big selling point for many pool buyers who want a well-crafted pool and want it now, says Curt Prystupa, owner of Sun Fiberglass Pools in Brooksville, Fla. Caring Instructions In doing away with cracks in the structure, fiberglass pools do not have to be drained. To avoid permanent injuries in the shell, do not attempt to utilize metal scrapers and steel wools in cleaning fiberglass pools. The development of hair line breakage is not a common problem in fiberglass pools. Water Chemistry There are four components present in fiberglass pools namely calcium hardness (CH), potential hydrogen (pH), total alkalinity (TA) and total dissolved solids (TDS). The ideal level of pH in fiberglass pools ranges from 7. The correct level of TA in fiberglass pools is between 70 to 80.

Pool

Pool buyers also need to be educated about chemical costs, water-quality control and maintenance issues, Miller says. Above ground pools are less permanent than other styles, and most can be drained and moved to another location if necessary. Algae can t attach to the smooth, impervious surface of a fiberglass pool, which cuts down on maintenance repairs, cleaning time and chemical additives.

Fiberglass

Your fiberglass pool will never need to be acid washed or resurfaced. When not taken into account, a fiberglass swimming pool will experience hydrostatic pressure from the outside resulting to shell damages. For great operations, the water level of the fiberglass pool has to be kept in the middle of the rectangular skimmer plate. To avoid permanent injuries in the shell, do not attempt to utilize metal scrapers and steel wools in cleaning fiberglass pools. Even if the dilemma is a rare find, the fiberglass swimming pool can still be restored. Always make sure that most of the filths that go to the bottom of the fiberglass pool will be brushed toward the main exhaust to be temporarily confined in the
filter. Total alkalinity (TA) refers to the composition of minerals in the water of the fiberglass swimming pool.

Preparation

The method you choose to prep the swimming pool will determine how long the new surface will maintain a great appearance. Using the recommended method will assure another fifteen to twenty years of maintenance free enjoyment.
Click here for instructions about emptying a swimming pool.

There are two ways to correctly prepare a fiberglass swimming pool for gel coat. We recommend this method:

1. Using an orbital random sander with a 36 grit sanding pad, remove all the existing gel coat. In other words, remove the blue or white color which is the top layer of the pool.

2. Have a Sand Blasting Contractor (recommended) remove the gel coat. Most contractors have never sand blasted a fiberglass swimming pool, just have them call us for instructions about nozzle size, cfm, air pressure, and medium. We ll be happy to help.

There is a third way to do a temporary fix. Just rough up the old gel coat making sure the sander at least touches every part of the pool. This process will enable the new gel coat to partially adhere to the old. However, the life expectancy is less than 5 years using this method of preparation.

A Clean Surface

Clean the pool thoroughly with water to remove all the remains of the gel coat and sand. Let the surface dry completely.

Immediately before rolling on the new Fibre-Shelkote gel coat, wash the pool down with pool solvent. Do this the same day the gel coat is being applied to make certain the surface is spotless. The solvent dries within minutes.

Application

This is the easy part. If you removed all the gel coat as we recommend, you will be applying two coats of Fibre-Shelkote gelcoat paint. Roll on the first coat, wait a few hours until the coat is dry enough to walk -on, and roll on the second coat. NOTE: Both coats must be rolled-on the same day to achieve a chemical bond.

On the other hand, if you only roughed the old gel coat, then the surface will only accept one coating of Fibre-Shelkote gel coat. After applying that coat, wait about an hour or two, and then add a little more gelcoat to the places where the first coat didn t laminate properly.

Curing Process

Outdoor pools must remain empty at least 3 days while the free styrene rises to the surface and evaporates. This same process takes at least 5 days for an indoor pool. It doesn t matter if it rains on an outdoor pool, but do not add water, under any condition, until the surface cures for the number of days specified.

*How to Empty a Fiberglass,

Gunite, or Concrete Swimming Pool Guide

Every swimming pool built or manufactured must, at one time or another is emptied for repair or resurfacing. There is no such thing as a pool that will never need to be drained, regardless of what you may have been led to believe.

With this in mind, almost every type pool listed above has some method of relieving the underground water pressure. This is a safety feature built into pools to prevent the hydrostatic pressure caused by underground water from damaging the swimming pool. We are talking about serious damage, so please take heed to the precautions I ve listed.

Because fiberglass pools weigh the least, as compared to concrete or gunite, the danger of lifting is greater. In my 15 years in this industry, I ve never had a fiberglass pool lift, however two gunite pools did “pop”. So the possibility certainly exists. Use this information as a guide in an effort to prevent this problem.

Never empty a fiberglass pool during the rainy season unless the pool has a built-in system for relieving the underground water pressure (which most do). If you have standing ground water hours after it rains anytime during the year, there is a strong possibility that any pool (gunite or fiberglass) will lift.

Hydrostatic Relief Valves

If your concrete or gunite pool has hydrostatic relief valves (usually located near the bottom of the steep slope), remove them as soon as you can get to them while emptying the pool.

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The last foot or so of water probably won t drain out, so be ready with a sump pump to immediately place at the drain to remove the remaining water. This is extremely important, and must be done quickly, so the bottom drain can be accessed for removal of the cover.

After opening the valve, place a pipe into the valve (about 3 to 6 long) and put a hose through the pipe, bring the hose up over the top of the coping and attach a pump to draw the water from under the pool. This is just ground water, so there is no chemical content to be concerned about. Point the water flow to a drainage area away from the pool.

Stand Pipe

Some pools had a water problem during construction and, to the current owners good fortune, have an inconspicuous “stand-pipe” located 10 or 30 from the pool. The pipe is less than a foot high and may or may not have a cap, place a long hose into the pipe, then attach the hose to a utility pump and drain the underground water. Some are located under the diving board and some can also be located near the pump and filter.

Quite often, a stand pipe equivalent was used when the pool was built, and a high water table was encountered. You may have a piece of black or white PVC emerging from the ground on the side of the deck next to the grass. It should be slightly lower than the top of the deck and usually goes unnoticed. This PVC goes directly into a 4 by 4 pit filled with stone. This PVC serves the same function as a stand-pipe, and should be used as explained above.

Well Points

If you re in a beach area or other low lying area, you may need to consider “well points”, but this is a last resort and is rarely necessary under other conditions. When well points are necessary, they should be installed by an experienced individual. Some pools require well points only on one side, while others must have well points around the entire pool.

Fiberglass pool refinishing is usually necessary after about 20 years of use. These pools are known for strength and durability, but eventually they will need some cosmetic help. A “facelift” should not be attempted during the rainy season unless a drainage system was installed during the installation process.

The facelift is a 4 step process which will restore the pool to its original beauty for the next 20 years.

1. Remove the existing gel coat (the outside color which is usually blue or white) by sandblasting (recommended), or hand sanding with an orbital random sander. Be careful not to cut into the resin and/or fiberglass just below the gel coat. The gel coat must be removed prior to the application of new gel coat. *The gel coat may also be sandblasted off by an outside contractor with diesel powered sandblasting equipment. Rented sandblasting equipment is not capable of removing the gelcoat on such a large surface. However, rented sand blasters will work quite well on outdoor hot tubs, spa s and Jacuzzi s,

2. Clean the pool and then wash down the surface with pool solvent immediately prior to the first gel coat application.

3. Roll-on the first coat of Fibre-Shelkote gel coat. Cover the entire pool. Each gallon will cover 60 to 80 square feet.

4. As soon as the bottom is completely dry, up to several hours depending on the temperature, roll-on the second coating of gel coat. Do not wait until the next day if it can be avoided.
*Sandblasting is an art and not a science. After we receive your gel coat order, we will be happy to speak directly to the sandblasting contractor if he has no experience with fiberglass swimming pools.
The pool must remain empty while the gel coat cures. Our gelcoat dries quickly, so you won t need to worry about rain after it is dry. However, it will take about two hours to dry so plan the application accordingly.

Typical curing time is 3 days for outdoor pools and 5 days or longer for indoor pools.
Indoor pools should be ventilated during and after the application. Because direct sunlight will not warm the surface, the room and pool wall temperature must be at least 60

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